Movie Man: ?A look at a few new Warner Archives releases

Friday

Catching up on a few recent releases from the Warner Archives on-demand DVD label:

Catching up on a few recent releases from the Warner Archives on-demand DVD label:

“Cool Breeze”

Warner Archives continues to plumb some fascinating cinema depths, this time unearthing a mostly forgotten — and mostly fascinating — blaxploitation film from 1972, “Cool Breeze.” A gritty reworking of the classic heist movie “The Asphalt Jungle,” this version moves the action to Los Angeles and replaces the all-white lineup of the 1950 movie with a more colorful cast. Leading the lineup is Thalmus Rasulala, a man with a name meant to be said loudly during movie trailers. He specialized in playing extra-cool supporting characters in early 1970s movies, but he might be best remembered for playing the absent dad on the sitcom “What’s Happening?” Here he plays Sidney Lord Jones, an ex-con so bold he’s seen reading a book about rare jewels as the guards release him from his prison cell.

After that, most of “Cool Breeze” follows Jones’ complicated — but rather entertaining — path to find financing and a crew for his elaborate jewel heist. The robbery itself takes little screen time, just like the original “Asphalt Jungle” (though this job involves a stolen laser, believe it or not). Then, of course, everything goes wrong during the escape and Jones and company split up to various ironic — and distinctly 1970s — fates. The same thing happened in “The Asphalt Jungle,” though I don’t remember anyone pretending to be a beauty contest mogul, as Jones does in his final scene.

Produced by Gene Corman, “Cool Breeze” shows the same flair for exploitation that his brother, Roger Corman, was legendary for. It’s violent, sarcastic, exciting and funny in just the right way. Keep an eye out for a very young Pam Grier in one scene. Before long, she’d be a bigger name than any of her “Cool Breeze” co-stars.

“Having a Wild Weekend”

A year after the Beatles cemented their spot as The Biggest Thing in The World with the release of the movie “A Hard Day’s Night,” fellow British invaders The Dave Clark Five released their own wacky black-and-white film, “Having a Wild Weekend.” Lacking the fame (and, frankly, the talent) of the Fab Four, the five were recast as movie stuntmen who go on an adventure when their leader (Dave, of course) runs off with the spokesmodel for a British meat company. (Really!)

Though it’s not as much fun as “A Hard Day’s Night,” “Having a Wild Weekend” (which is named after a Dave Clark Five song, of course) isn’t bad. The plot, with all the intrigue involving the meat industry, is refreshingly weird, and the direction (from first-timer John Boorman, who later helmed “Deliverance”) has a surprisingly ethereal feel, like some snappy cousin of the French New Wave. Best of all, this movie moves, with the band jumping from location to location and a new, crazy character lurking around every corner. The ending even manages to be somewhat thoughtful, with the forces of consumerism winning out against youthful rebellion. Which, if you think about it, is what really happens when bands make movies like this. Pretty meta, eh?

“Lisztomania”

You wouldn’t think a movie about 19th-century composer and pianist Franz Liszt would be among the strangest films ever made. And maybe it wouldn’t have been — if it hadn’t been directed by Ken Russell. Russell, who died last year, is probably best known for directing “Tommy,” the big screen version of the Who’s rock opera. The unlikely success of that distinctly weird film allowed Russell to team up again with Who singer Roger Daltrey for this alleged biopic.

Though “Lisztomania” follows the basic contours of Liszt’s life, this is no “Amadeus.” Russell’s distinctive vision manages to make room for a silent movie tribute, Ringo Starr as the Pope, the Marvel Comics version of Thor, music-fueled starships and, strangest of all (which, trust me, is saying something) Richard Wagner as a gun-wielding combination of Adolf Hitler and Frankenstein’s monster. To no one’s surprise, audiences stayed away, critics hated it, and “Lisztomania” died a quick death at the box office and faded into obscurity. In fact, until this month, it’s never been available on DVD in the U.S. And frankly, I’m guessing that 99 percent of you reading this column will hate it.

Me? I think it’s one of the craziest, most imaginative, most entertaining movies I’ve seen in a long time. In other words, I love it. But your mileage, as you’ve probably guessed, may vary.

As always, you can order any of the Warner Archives DVDs by going to warnerarchive.com. They release a handful of new DVDs each week, so keep checking back.

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